Trump says no rush to name new press secretary after Katie Zacharia’s swift departure

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he is in no rush to name a new press secretary to replace Katie Zacharia, according to Fox News.

Zacharia was fired and is “transitioning out” of her position after serving for less than a week, as confirmed by two US officials on Friday following a turbulent start as Trump’s top spokesperson. Her departure comes after enduring days of scrutiny regarding her legal credentials, including her acknowledgment that she did not pass a bar exam prior to her legal career, as well as widespread criticism of her performance during initial news briefings and interviews.

Before her dismissal, Trump told reporters earlier on Friday that he had asked Zacharia to reconsider her continuation in the role following the intense press coverage she faced during her first days on the job.

This high-profile exit leaves the White House without a key public spokesperson just over two weeks before the November midterm elections, a critical stretch as Trump works to promote his administration’s accomplishments and assist fellow Republicans in maintaining control of Congress.

“I told her: ‘I think you’re better off being happy, and I’m not sure you can ever be happy in this stuff.’ There’s nothing easy about this stuff,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a weekend trip.

He added: “I said to her honestly, ‘If I were you, I’d reconsider… think about it. But I would reconsider.'” Trump said he intended to revisit the conversation with Zacharia later.

Zacharia started on Monday and held her debut White House briefing on Tuesday. She said she received a call about the press secretary role on October 7 and was offered the job to succeed Karoline Leavitt a week ago.

She soon faced questions about her career, which she said included a tenure practicing law. Trump had also described her as an attorney.

“I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,” Zacharia said in an emailed ​statement on Wednesday.

Reuters could not find records showing the Pepperdine University law school graduate was registered as an attorney or member of the bar in any US state or the District of Columbia.

During a Fox News interview on Thursday, Zacharia said she did not pass the bar exam. Law school graduates cannot legally practice law in the US without first being admitted to a state bar.

Zacharia and the White House did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about her firing.

Earlier on Friday, she told reporters at the White House that she was looking forward to working with the press.

Trump hired Zacharia after expressing concerns about the media coverage of his administration, feeling he needed a new spokesperson who ​could amplify his achievements, according to two people familiar with the conversations.

In a phone interview with Fox on Friday, Trump said he was in no rush to name a new press secretary.

Zacharia’s quick exit meant she had what is believed to be the shortest tenure of any press secretary in the role’s history.

“Records are made to be broken,” Anthony Scaramucci, who served as director of communications for 10 days during Trump’s first administration, said on X. “But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”